Curtain-fixture.



c. w. mason. CURTAIN FIXTURE.

APPLICATION FILED OCT. 2, I917.

Patented Oct. 8; 1918..

2 SHEETS-SHEET lf I I 6 641/027 0km w. 36ml c. w. KlRS CH.

CURTAIN FIXTURE.

APPLICATION FILED on. 2, 1917.'

LEMDQQS, Patented Oct. 8, 1918,

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

CHARLES W. KIRSCH, OF STURGIS, MICHIGAN, ASSIGNOB, TO KIRSCH MANUFACTURING CO., OF STURGIS, MICHIGAN, A CORPORATION OF MICHIGAN.

CURTAIN-FIXTURE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Oct. s, 1918.

Application filed October 2, 1917. Serial No. 194,352.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, CHARLES W. KIRSCH,

citizen of the United States, residing at Sturuseful Improvements in Curtain-Fixtures;

and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable.others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to improvements in curtain rods, and has for its particular object to provide a curtain rod so constructed and arranged as to permit of the curtains being swung from a position parallel with the windowsashcs of a Window, toa position substantially at right angles theretoand out of the direct path of air currents passing into and out of such window when opened,

and out of the'way of a window-washer.

A particular object of the invention is to provide a curtain rod of this character which may be readily swung from one to another of its positions by merel the curtain or drape suspende therefrom and exerting a relatively light tension thereon so as to avoid the necessity of mounting a chair or ladder for the purpose of operating the same.

A further objectof the invention is to pro- I vide a curtain rod comprising two parts disposed in alinement with each other and having their ends opposed to each other 1n close proximity contiguous to the portion of the window frame over which said rods. are mounted, and which mav be turned outwardly relativelv to the window frame or the like so as to extend transversely thereto and substantially parallel with each other.

A further object of the invention is to rovide acurtain fixture of the character deedin the preceding paragraph which 1ncludes a bracket or support equipped with means for yieldingly resisting the plvotal movement of the rod members and for yieldingly holding the same firmly at either limit of their pivotal movement.

A further object of the inventlon is to provide a curtain rod of the type abov e set forth whichwhen swung outwardly from its normal position to promote ventilation and permitease of access to the window panes for washing the same, will throw the bodies engaging of the curtains or draperies suspended therefrom laterally away outwardly from the window opening for a distance equal, or substantially equal, to that separating the main portions of said curtains or draperies from the inner face of the window frame.

The invention includes fixtures for ourtain rods adapted to receive a pair or a plurality of pairs of curtains or draperies, and

consists in the features of construction and combinations of parts hereinafter fully described and particularly claimed.

In the accompanying drawings illustratinn a suitable embodiment of the invention:

Figure 1- is a view in front elevation of a curtain-fixture comprising brackets or supports to each of which two curtain or drapery-supporting members are pivotally secured.

Fig. 2-- is a top plan view of the same.

Fig. 3- is a top plan view of a fixture including a pair of brackets and rods for supporting a single pair of curtains or draperies.

Fig. -:lis a fragmentary detail section on an enlarged scale on the line H of Fig. -2.

Fig. .5 is a fragmentary detail plan section on the line 55 of Figs. -1- and Fig. -6 is a fragmentary detail vertical section on the line 6-6 of Fig. 5.

Fig. 7 is a fragmentary detail plan section on the line 77 of F ig.-8.

Fig. 8 is a detail vertical section on the line 8-8 of Figs. -3 and 7.

Fig. --'9 is a fragmentar detail perspective view showing one of t 1e outer ends of a curtain rod constituting a part of the fixture.

In warm weather it is obviously desirable, in order that there may be no obstruction to air currents admitted through open windows in front of which curtains or draperies are hung, to dispose said curtains or draperies out of the path of such air currents not only for the purpose of securing better ventilation, but also for the purpose of maintaining the curtains or draperies clean for a longer period of time. This has generally been accomplished by the employment of hold-back fixtures disposed atthe opposite sides of the window frame, or the like, for

hooking back the lower end portions of the curtains or draperies so as to keep them out of the path of the air currents. This, however, has proved relatively undesirable, and, where it is desired to open the upper end or the entire length of the window opening, is entirely insufficient. The object of the present inve-ntion'is, therefore, to provide means better adapted and more convenient to attain the desired results.

To this end I provide brackets each consisting of a plate 1 adapted to be secured to a window frame, or the like, at opposite sides of the opening therein, and which is equipped along its upper and lower edges respectively, with horizontally disposed flanges 2 and 3. The lower flange is provided along its outer edge with an upwardly extending lip 4 and a similarly extending lip 5 having an inclined edge 6 which terminates in a flat shoulder 7 at the free edge of said lip 5, and which constitutes one end of an inclined shoulder 8 formed by means of a narrow flat strip of metal integral with the lip 55, and extending downwardly at an incline from the shoulder 7 to the upper surface of the" flange 3 contiguous to its juncture with the plate 1.

Passing through the flanges 2 and 3 at a pointinwardly of the lips 4'and 5 is a pivot pin 9 which also passes through the inner end of the arm 10 of a curtain rod member 11. The said curtain rod member consists, preferably, as shown in Fig, 9, of a strip of metal C-shaped in cross section, and having openings in its side flanges contiguous to the end of the arm 10 thereof through which said pivot pin. passes. A helical compression spring 12 bears upon the upper edge of said arm 10 and upon the lower face of the flange 2, the same being coiled about the pivot pin 9 which is readily re-. It will be movable, as will be obvious. noted that the outer edge portion of the flange 3 and more particularly the formations on said edge engage the rod at some distance from its pivot and that the portion of the rod disposed above the body of the flange 3 does not rest upon the same at any time. This spaced support coacts with the pivot pin and with the relatively widely spaced flanges of the rod through which the latter passes to increase the resistance of the rod to distortion under the influence of the weight of curtains or draperies suspended from the same. This is further promoted to some extent by the pressure exerted by the spring 12.

At its other end each of the curtain-supporting members or rods 11 is provided with a ferrule 13 telescopically mounted thereon and securely held in place by friction, and which ,is provided with aplurality of perforations 14 for the reception of pins or threads by means of which one end of the hem of the curtain or drapery is secured ingly in the desired position.

The arm 10 of the rod 11 is normally positioned between the inclined surface 6 of the lip 5 and the opposing side edge of the lip 4 so that it rests on said inclined edge 5 and not upon the flange 3 of the bracket. When in this position the main portion 11 of the supporting member will extend substantially parallel with the window sash,.or the like. When it is desired to swing the curtain or drapery suspended from the 'rod' 11 and its arm 10 out of the path of air currents, said curtain or drape is grasped by the hand and manipulated so as to cause the rod to swing on its pivot through an arc of substantially ninety degrees. In so doing the must ride over the inclined surface 6 and shoulder 7 against the action of the spring 12 bearing down upon said rod and resisting its vertical upward movement. After passing'over the shoulder 7 the lower edge of the rod will ride upon. the inclined surface 8 and will be held by the latter yieldingly in the new position. Said position is indicated in dotted lines in Fig. 7--, and. may be determined by a stop formation coacting with-the surface 8 in the same manner as the lip 4 coacts with the inclined surface 6 of the lip 5 to prevent the rod from turning through an arc in excess of ninety degrees. This is,.

however, not essential, but is desirable in some instances. In Fig. 7 I have, therefore, illustrated a lip 17 corresponding in shape and function to the lip 4 at the forward or outer end of the flange '3 to coact with the inclined surface 8 to limit the pivotal movement of the rod and hold it yield- My invention is also adapted for curtain fixtures adapted to support a plurality of pairs of curtains or draperies, as shown in Figs. 1, 2-, v 5-' and 6-. In each of said figures I have shown brackets each equipped with means for pivotally securing thereto and supporting thereon one end of each of two curtain or, drapery-supporting elements or rods corresponding to' the element 11, shown "in Figs. 3, 7 and As shown in Fig. 2-, the inner of said curtain-supporting rods or elements corresponds exactly with that shown in Figs. -3, 7-- and 8--, and is, therefore, indicated as to all parts, by the same reference characters. The outer of the curtain-supporting elements 18, shown in Fig. 2, is provided with an arm 19 of greater length than the arm 10 of the member 11. The said arm extends parallel with the arm 11 and is attached to a pivot pin 20 mounted in the bracket nearer the plate 1 than the pin 9 to which the arm 11 is pivotally secured. The flange 3 of the plate 1 is similarly provided with the lip 4 constituting astop for limiting the pivotal movement of the arm 10 of the rod 11 in one direction, and which coacts with the inclined surface 6 of the lip 5 to hold said rod 10 firmly in position the same as in Figs. -3, 7- and 8. The plate 1 is equipped with a stop projection 21 for engaging the extreme outer end of the arm 19 of the rod and this coacts with the inclined surface 22 of a lip 23 corresponding in shape and function with the lip 5, and

- obvious, for similarly pivotally supporting rods in excess of two.

lVhile I have shown the preferred embodiment of my invention in the accompanying drawings, it. will be obvious, of course, that said embodiment may be changed and varied in details of construction without departing from the invention as defined in the appended claims.

It will be apparent that my invention particularly adapted for use in connection with so-called French windows which swing on hinges similarly to doors and 1s also particularly adapted to windows in which a single sash extends the entire length and is dropped into the wall when it is desired to secure ventilation.

'It will be noted that the pivots of the rods are disposed in close proximity to the window casing at the ends of the short arms thereof so that the longer arms are spaced from the inner face of said casing. When said rods are of ninety degrees the longer arms become separated from each other a distance equal to the space separating their pivots plus the combined lengths of the short arms and the curtains are thus (lisposed more completely out of the path of the drafts passing into and out of the open windows and also permit ample space between them to make cleaning of window panes more convenient. The proximity of the pivots to the window casing is also advantageous in that it permits the curtains and drapes to be extended to the inner face of the latter.

I claim as my invention:

1. A curtain fixture comprising a pair of brackets adapted to be mounted on a window casing contiguous to the inner side edges thereof, curtain rods each having a long and a short arm substantially perpendicular to each other pivotally connected at the ends of their short arms to said brackets, the ends of the lon arms thereof normally opposed to each ot er substantially midway between the side edges of the window frame for supporting curtains or draperies at a distance from the window sashes, said rods adapted to be swung through anarc of substantially ninety degrees for causing the long arms thereof to swing laterally outwardly relatively to the window opening and out of the path of air currents passing through the window, the short arms thereof adapted to then extend substantially parallel with and in close proximity to the face of the window casing.

2. A curtain fixture comprising a pair of bracketsadaptcd to be mounted on a window casing contiguous to the inner side edges thereof, curtain rods each having a long and a short arm substantially perpendicular to each other pivotally connected at the ends of their short arms to said brackets, the ends of the long arms thereof normally opposed to each other substantially midway between the side edges of the window frame for supporting curtains or draperies at a distance from the window sashes, said rods adapted to be swung through an arc of substantially ninety degrees for causing the long arms thereof to swing laterally outwardly relatively to the window opening and out of the path of air currents passing through the window, the short arms thereof adapted to then extend substantially parallel with and in close proximity to the face of the Window casing, said bracket equipped with means for firmly retaining the rods in the respective aforesaid positions. I

3. A curtain fixture comprising a pair of brackets adapted to be mounted'on a window casing contiguous to the inner side edges thereof, curtain rods each having a long and a short arm substantially perpendistance from the window sashes, said rods adapted to be swung through an arc of v substantially. ninety degrees for causing the long arms thereof to swing laterally outwardly relatively to the window opening and out of the path of'air currents passing through the window, the short arms thereof adapted to then extend substantially araliel with and in close proximity to the ace of the window casing. V

4. A curtain fixture including a plate adapted to be mounted on a window casing and equipped, with a vertically disposed pivot pin, a flange and a projection on said plate having openings for the passage of said pivot pin, a curtain rod through .one

end of which said-pivot pin passes for pivotally connecting the same with said. plate,

.an edge formation on said flange for engaging the lower edge of the rod at a dis tance from its pivot, and a spring on said pivot pin bearingupon the upper edge of said rod and said projection for holding the rod firmly engaged with said edge. formacasing or the like, a pair of curtain rods each pivotally secured at one end to one of said brackets for permitting the same to' s'ivinghorizontally through an are approximating ninety degrees, a shoulder on the.

bracket for limiting'the pivotal movement of said rod in one direction, a ridge presenting an inclined surface opposing said shoulder and together with the same forming a substantially V-shaped recess of less width at its bottom than said rod for holding the latter firmly in engagement with said shoulder, said rods when positioned to engage said shoulders of said brackets being disposed and firmly held in substantially accurate 'alinement an d with their free ends opposed to each other.

CHARLES V. KIRSCH. 

